The former prime minister told Malaysiakini that he was surprised that the security guards who were supposed to guard the PMO had taken the cash from there.

Najib said that he read in a few news reports that the authorities had acknowledged that the money was Umno election funds that were being kept outside the strong room and safes in the PMO.

"If the authorities know these are Umno funds, then they will also know that the RM114 million seized by the police in the raids of the apartments came from the strong room and safes in the PMO," said Najib.